The Chief Executive Officer of Tesla Inc, Elon Musk has disclosed that the company’s gigafactory located in New York would open soon for the production of ventilators amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
The disclosure came in a series of tweets, which was posted on his Twitter account, following previous statements where he had outlined plans of donating ventilators. Ventilators are used to help people breathe and fight the coronavirus(Covid-19) disease, so it is a critical piece of medical equipment needed for patients who are hospitalized with the virus.
“Making good progress. We will do whatever is needed to help in these difficult times.
Giga New York will reopen for ventilator production as soon as humanly possible. We will do anything in our power to help the citizens of New York,” the tweet read.
This news comes after Tesla’s Chinese team and Musk managed to secure about 1,000 ventilators from China and delivered them to hospitals in California.
READ MORE: Coronavirus: Manufacturers seek waivers on import duties, seamless access to supplies
Recall that Tesla had recently announced that it was suspending operations at its factories at Fremont and New York where it produced electric vehicles and solar panels respectively. Now, the New York factory would be reopened for the ventilator production.
What you should know: Just like Tesla, a number of tech firms, including Microsoft, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook, are also contributing resources toward fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
New York has been hit particularly hard by the virus, with 285 deaths and more than 30,000 infections. That means the state has reported more coronavirus cases than any other state in the United States.
About Tesla: Tesla Inc. is an American automotive and energy company based in Palo Alto, California. The company specialises in electric car manufacturing and produces solar panels through its SolarCity subsidiary.
